Staff Reporter
ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad Institute of Conflict Resolution (IICR) has organised a seminar titled “Understanding the Impact of Media: Interpreting Information and Global Perspectives on Society.”This event brought together scholars, media experts, and public policy professionals to discuss how media shapes societal concepts and political landscapes.The seminar was moderated by Dr Shabana Fayyaz, Associate Professor at Quaid-e-Azam University Islamabad. Key speakers included former Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed, Dr Nazir Hussain, Air Marshal (retired) Farhat Hussain, former federal minister Murtaza Solangi, media expert Dr Farhan Rao, and investigative journalist Fakhar Kakakhel.In her opening remarks, IICR Executive Director and founder, Sabah Aslam, emphasised the crucial link between media, public perceptions, and societal outcomes. She highlighted the importance of promoting media literacy, encouraging critical thinking, and especially urging the youth to use media responsibly.The seminar aimed to assess the role of media in shaping narratives, eliminating misinformation, and promoting cultural understanding.Former Senator Mushahid Hussain Syed discussed the role of the EU DisinfoLab in exposing India’s global propaganda campaign, citing examples such as ANI and the Srivastava Group. He highlighted the influence of Western media in historical and contemporary events like the 1953 Iranian revolution and the Iraq war. Commenting on the changing dynamics of media during the 2024 US elections, he stressed the need for a coordinated strategy to address media challenges in Pakistan.Experienced journalist Murtaza Solangi discussed the fundamental principles of journalism and advocated for the public’s right to know. He identified corporate influence, market forces, and non-state actors as major challenges to media freedom and underscored the global pandemic of misinformation, stressing the importance of digital literacy to combat it.Investigative journalist Fakhar Kakakhel spoke about the spread of “keyboard warriors” and Western-backed misinformation, which has created barriers to Pakistan’s development, particularly regarding CPEC. He called for better mechanisms to address digital chaos caused by censorship and misinformation.Media expert Dr Farhan Rao highlighted the dangers of political hate speech, which deepens societal and cultural divides, and advocated for a multidisciplinary approach to tackling media-related challenges. He also emphasized the importance of promoting media literacy.In his keynote address, Air Marshal (Retired) Farhat Hussain stressed the need to exploit India’s vulnerabilities, which are often magnified by Indian media. He underscored the importance of equipping individuals with critical thinking skills to distinguish between facts and propaganda, further stating the need to rationalize media regulations as media influence transcends national borders.Dr Nazir Hussain, in his concluding remarks, discussed the growing role of social media, noting that due to the limited information provided by mainstream media, social media is gaining more attention. He attributed this trend to the corporate ownership of media houses.
